The identities of the 177 people abducted from ECWA Church and Cherubim and Seraphim Churches 1 and 2 in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have now been made public.
The list reveals a deeply disturbing pattern, showing that entire families were taken from their homes and places of worship, leaving the community traumatised and largely deserted of able-bodied residents.
The attack occurred barely one week after the same community reportedly paid N2.6 million to secure the release of 20 residents previously kidnapped, Vanguard gathered.
Although government officials and security agencies initially denied that the incident took place, a police situation report obtained by Vanguard confirmed that the attack happened during church services on Sunday.
According to the report, information was received at about 5:45pm indicating that the assailants struck around 11:25am, firing sporadically and forcing worshippers to flee into nearby forests. The report noted: “Message received from DPO Kajuru indicates that on 18/01/2026 at about 1745hrs an information was received that same date at about 1125hrs, unspecified numbers of bandits armed with sophisticated weapons attacked ECWA church and Cherubim Serafim Church 2 at Kurmin Wali in Kajuru lga… concerted effort in collaboration with all stakeholders has been intensified to rescue the victims and possibly arrest the perpetrators, investigation has commenced”.
By the following day, the village had been completely abandoned, with survivors fleeing to neighbouring communities to seek refuge with relatives and friends. Several victims sustained injuries while escaping, while poor network coverage and lost mobile phones made communication difficult.
An analysis of the 177 names showed that entire households were taken. Families such as the Jonathan family lost 12 members, the Amos family 13, Markus/Makudi 10, Ishaya and Danisa seven each, and Bawa six, while several others lost between two and five relatives. The oldest victim listed is 71-year-old Augustina Matthew, while the youngest is six-year-old Salvation Idris.
Human rights groups strongly criticised official denials of the incident. Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria insisted the abduction took place and accused security agents of blocking independent verification. The group said its team was prevented by military personnel from accessing Kurmin Wali shortly after the attack, despite presenting valid identification.
CSW-N further alleged that the attackers arrived on motorcycles and on foot, splitting into three groups to strike the churches simultaneously. It said some elderly women and young children were later released, while others escaped, leaving many still in captivity at the time of its engagement with community sources.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 northern states and the FCT, Rev. Dr. Joseph Hayab, accused security agents of failing to pursue the attackers promptly, claiming this allowed the bandits to escape with a large number of victims.
International condemnation followed, with a US lawmaker describing the abduction as “horrific news” and urging the Nigerian government to ensure the safe return of the victims. Former presidential candidate Peter Obi also described the incident as “unacceptable”, warning that recurring mass abductions reflect a worsening security crisis.
Meanwhile, another abduction was reported earlier the same day in Kujama community, also in Southern Kaduna, where bandits reportedly kidnapped a nursing mother, her baby, and others, demanding large ransoms and inflicting serious injuries on relatives who resisted.
As investigations continue, families of the abducted victims remain fearful, pleading for swift intervention to secure the release of their loved ones.